Wounds

Jesus was identified by His scars so you don’t have to be.

How often do I see my familiar scars and identify with them through a lens of raw emotion regarding yesterday’s wounds? How often do I feel The weight of the wounds I carry and allow their defeat to wash over me again? I run my finger over the scars and remember. I touch the wounds and wish they hadn’t happened. There are days I identify myself by my wounds. Failure. Broken. Unloved. Wrong decisions.

Thomas recognized Jesus by His wounds.

John 20:25,27,29 (you can read the whole story in chapter 20 of John)

25. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see(Greek word eido)in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen (Greek word horaho) me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen (Greek word eido) and yet have believed.

There are several words used in the New Testament for see. Two of which are referenced in the above scriptures.

1. Horaho-to discern clearly. To appear, behold, perceive, experience. Seeing Spiritually. To grasp the truth of a situation. Present tense. Thomas you have now seen (Jesus) me in present tense just as I am and believed-you recognized my (Jesus’s) wounds. You experienced my wounds, so you know it’s me.

2. Eido-this word connects the past experience to present day. Yesterday I saw so today I perceive. It’s used in Matthew 6:8 when Jesus says “your Father knoweth(eido). Your Father knew you before you were formed in the womb so today He knows your need.

Thomas original words (v 25)were unless I “eido” see Jesus. I will not believe. Verse 29 Jesus is saying that Thomas “horaho” seen Him, not “eido” seen Him. That’s confusing I know.

Essentially, Thomas is saying unless I see (v25 eido)the Jesus I knew before his crucifixion and am able to touch his scars, I won’t believe. Unless I am able to connect the Jesus I knew to the Jesus I see, I won’t believe. Jesus is saying that Thomas recognized or saw(horaho) Him by His wounds and scars. Thomas didn’t recognize Him (eido) because he knew Him, he recognized Him because of His scars. Blessed are those who recognize or perceive in the NOW the wounds of Jesus. Jesus’ wounds make it possible that we are able to touch the scars of our Savior and be healed. His wounds....His scars....we have the ability to touch them and be healed. We have been given an all access pass to everything He is.

Jesus wasn’t scolding Thomas for being doubtful. (I’m Not being permissive about his doubting) Jesus’ words here are actually acknowledging that it was good that Thomas recognized Jesus by His wounds. Why? Because Isaiah 53 says:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

The purpose in Jesus wounds is so we have answers for our own scars, answers for all wounded. We are able to identify and discern clearly now the wounds of Jesus so Isaiah 53 can become a reality in our life. We must identify and touch the wounds of Jesus so we know healing. Just as Thomas stood next to Jesus and touched his side, ran his fingers over the nail scars, we must be do the same. We must associate the identity of Jesus with His wounds in order be healed.

You’ve heard it said many times, Hurt people hurt people. It’s important to heal so we don’t continue to hurt others and use our own scars and wounds as an excuse. We no longer have to be broken. We are no longer called by the name of our wounds. Jesus took those names and gave us a new one. We are now His....Redeemed and whole. By His wounds we are healed.

Jesus is identified by His scars so you don’t have to be.

See Jesus today. Not because you heard of Jesus before. Not because religion told of us some Jesus afar off with rules and regulations, not for a Jesus we thought we knew before. Not because we went to church when we were young and casually sat in the pew. He’s not the Jesus of yesterday. Seeing His wounds requires being Up close and personal. You don’t have to be the walking wounded any longer. Freedom is as simple as thrusting your hand into his side and touching His wounds. Run your fingers over his nail scarred hands and Touch His nail scarred feet. Today see (horaho) Jesus wounds. Jesus is identified by His scars so you don’t have to be.